Traffic signal for motor vheicles



Sept. 14 1926.

J. M. GOLDEN TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 8, 1925 SCHOOL L T BAG K CHOU LOW 81;. or

Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MARTIN GOLDEN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed September 8, 1925. Serial No. 54,996.

This invention relates to improvements in trafiic signals for motor vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved traffic signal consisting essentially of a shiftable sign or screen which is mounted upon a pair of rollers and which is adapted to be wound upon and unwound therefrom. These rollers are rotatably mounted upon a frame which is secured about the conventional rear window in a vehicle top and the sign or screen mounted upon the rollers is shiftable from the drivers seat of the ve hicle so that various direction indicating indicia can be seen through'the window, so

that the driver of a following vehicle may be advised as to the proposed direction of travel of the vehicle on which the signal is mounted.

With the foregoing objects in view and others which will be made manifest from the following detailed description and specifically pointed in the appended claim, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle, the

' top being shown in section and illustrating the improved signal in applied position.

Fig. 2 is a rear view in elevation of the vehicle illustrating the manner in which the signal is displayed.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the signal, parts being broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a view taken substantially upon the line l4: of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially upon the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view taken substantially upon the line 6-6 of Fig. 3 in the direction indicated.

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation, illustrating the obverse side of the screen in completely unwound position.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the screen.

Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of the reverse side of the screen and may be considered as taken in the direction of the arrow 9 upon Fig. 8.

Fig- 10 is a partial front elevation of the vehicle shown in Fig. 1 and may be considered as taken in the direction of the arrow 10 upon Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a view in elevation of the sign or screen mounted upon the wind shield.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved trafiic signal consists of a rectangular frame 10 having flanges 11 which may be secured in any suitable manner as by rivets to the top T of the vehicle about the conventional rear window 'W therein. Rotatably mounted within the frame are two rollers 12 and 13 which are rotatable about parallel axes and are preferably arranged above and below the window W Pulleys 14 and 15 are mounted upon the rollers 12 and 13 and a coil spring or similar elastic element 16 forms an endless belt passing over the two pulleys 14 and 15. A screen or shiftable sign 17 has its ends secured to the rollers and is wound thereon, it being readily understood that when the rollers are rotated that the screen 17 unwinds from one roller and winds up upon the other roller. In moving from one extreme position to the other, the screen will cause the rollers to vary slightly in their speed of rotation and this is compensated or taken care of by the elastic coil spring 16.

On the upper roller 12 there is mounted a second pulley 18 over which an endless cord 19 passes. This endless cord is trained over pulleys 20 and 21 to a pulley 22 mounted adjacent the drivers seat. On both the obverse and reverse sides of the screen or shiftable sign 17 there is printed signal indicating indicia such as is shown in Figs. 7 and 9, such words as Right, Left, Slow, School and Stop, Back and the like may be printed to indicate a right turn, a left turn, slow, or stop and that the driver of the vehicle on which the traffic signal is mounted is intending to back up. It will be readily appreciated that any other suitable indicia may be employed which might consist of direction indicating arrows as desired.

On the wind shield of the vehicle there may be mounted an indicator or signaling device designated at 23, which is identical in construction with the signaling device mounted on the top T, with the exception that instead of the pulley 18, there is provided a handle so that the indicator 23 may be set from the drivers seat.

The operation of the device is as follows:

lVhen the driver of a vehicle intends to turn to the left he pulls upon the endless cord 19, rotating the upper roller 12 and consequently the lower roller 13. By looking back at the Screen or looking into a rear view mirror on the vehicle, he can readily vsee \vhat sign is displayed between the rollers and asthe same 'si'gn' is arranged both upon the obverse and reverse sides of the screen the sign which may be seen from the front of a vehicle can also be seen from the Window V.

From the above described construction it will be readily appreciated that an improved form of trailic signal has been provided which may be readily installed upon a vehicle and which may be easily and quickly operated. Furthermore, the intended direction of travel is always readily visible from both the front and the rear of the vehicle.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as delined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A traflic signal for motor vehicles, comprising a frame adapted to be secured upon the inside of the top of a motor vehicle about the rear Window therein, rollers' mounted'upon said frame so as to be rotat able upon parallel axes, a section of sheet material adapted to be Wound upon said rollers and unwound therefrom, pulleys upon said rollers, an endless elastic member passing over pulleys causing both rollers to be simultaneously rotated, a second pulley on one of the rollers, an endless cord passing over said second pulley, said cord being arranged so as to be operable from the drivers seat and direction indicating indicia upon both sides of said section.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JAMES MARTIN GOLDEN. 

